Best Nokia phones — what are your options? (April 2018)

Nokia was once the biggest smartphone manufacturer in the world but lost its appeal when it decided to overlook Android and start making Windows-powered smartphones. The company was sold to Microsoft in 2013, which decided to kill the Nokia brand a little over a year later. Thankfully the story didn’t end there.

HMD Global gained the rights to make and sell smartphones under the Nokia name at the end of 2016, effectively bringing the iconic brand back to life. It released a few interesting smartphones in 2017 and seems ready to up its game even more heading into 2018.

Editor’s note: We will be updating this list regularly as new devices launch.

Best high-end phone: Nokia 8 Sirocco

The Nokia 8 Sirocco was announced at MWC 2018 and is an upgraded version of the Nokia 8. It’s equipped with a larger 5.5-inch curved display (up from 5.3 inches), has a more modern design thanks to its thin bezels, and features an improved water protection (IP67 vs IP54), among other things.

The Nokia 8 is part of Google’s Android One initiative, which guarantees a pure, bloat-free OS experience.

The flagship is part of Google’s Android One initiative, which guarantees a pure, bloat-free OS experience and timely updates. It features a dual-camera setup on the back kitted out with Carl Zeiss optics and 2x optical zoom. Nokia skipped the Snapdragon 845 chipset for some reason and decided to go with the older 835 instead, which is still powerful enough to handle any task you throw at it.

The smartphone isn’t available yet, but it will go on sale in Europe as well as India this month. You’ll be able to get it for 750 euros or Rs. 50,000.

Specs

5.5-inch P-OLED display with 2,560 x 1,440 resolution, 534 ppi

Snapdragon 835 chipset

6GB of RAM

128GB of on-board storage, microSD expansion up to 256GB

Dual 12 and 13MP rear cameras, 5MP front camera

Non-removable 3,260mAh battery

Android 8.0 Oreo

140.93 x 72.97 x 7.5mm

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Honorable mentions:

Nokia 8

The high-end Nokia 8 comes with a 5.3-inch display and is powered by the Snapdragon 835 chipset. It sports two 13 MP sensors on the back with Carl Zeiss optics that allow you to capture those popular bokeh images. The handset also features a “Bothie” mode, which lets you use front and back cameras simultaneously for split-screen photos and videos. The Nokia 8 is a great smartphone, but it’s not perfect — it looks dated because of its large bezels that don’t belong on flagships anymore. The handset wasn’t released in the U.S., but it is available in Europe, India, and a few other markets.

Best mid-range phone: Nokia 7 Plus

The Nokia 7 Plus is an Android One smartphone, which means it runs a stock version of Google’s OS. Announced at MWC 2018, it’s quite an upgrade over the Nokia 7. The display got bumped up from 5.2 to 6 inches and has an 18:9 aspect ratio. The handset also features a dual-camera setup, a newer chipset (Snapdragon 660 vs 630) and a larger battery (3,800 vs 3,000 mAh).

The Nokia 7 Plus features the “Bothie” mode that lets you use front and back cameras simultaneously.

Like a few other Nokia smartphones, the 7 Plus features the “Bothie” mode that lets you use front and back cameras simultaneously for split-screen photos and videos. It has a modern design with relatively thin bezels and an aluminum body that looks and feels premium — although it lacks a “wow” factor that would set it apart from the competition.

The smartphone went on sale in China in March and sold out in five minutes. It’s up for pre-order in select European markets, with the release date set for mid-April. You can get if for 400 euros or 350 pounds.

Specs

6.0-inch IPS LCD display with 2,160 x 1,080 resolution, 403 ppi

Snapdragon 660 chipset

4GB of RAM

64GB of on-board storage, microSD expansion up to 256GB

12 and 13MP rear cameras, 16MP front camera

Non-removable 3,800mAh battery

Android 8.0 Oreo

158.38 x 75.64 x 9.55mm

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Honorable mentions:

Nokia 7

The Nokia 7 might not be a flagship, but it still packs more than enough power under the hood for the average user. The device comes with the Snapdragon 630 chipset paired with either 4 or 6GB of RAM. It sports a 5.2-inch Full HD display and a single 16MP primary camera with Carl Zeiss optics. The mid-ranger has a glass back and a metal frame, is IP54 rated, and runs a stock version of Android Nougat. Unfortunately, it wasn’t officially released in the U.S. or Europe, although you can still get the international model (without a warranty) on Amazon.

The 2018 edition of the Nokia 6 sports a 5.5-inch Full HD display and is powered by the Snapdragon 630 chipset paired with 4GB of RAM. It comes with Nokia’s Bothie camera feature and includes OZO Audio recording that’s described as “an advanced spatial audio technology with 3D capture and playback capabilities.” The smartphone is equipped with a single 16MP camera on the back, has a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner, and runs Android 7.1 Nougat. It’s already up for pre-order in select European markets and will make its way to the U.S. in May.

Best budget phone: Nokia 2

This super affordable Nokia handset will only set you back $100. In addition to the low price, the smartphone’s biggest highlight is the massive 4,100 mAh battery that should be good for around two days of use.

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Some people might think that the most important feature in a smartphone is its display size. Others believe it comes down to a phone’s processor performance, or the amount of RAM, or how much storage …

The Nokia 2’s specs won’t blow your socks off, which is expected given its price point. It sports a 5-inch HD display, is powered by the Snapdragon 212 chipset, and has 1GB of RAM. That’s still good enough for browsing the web and using social media, but the smartphone isn’t the best when it comes to multitasking and performing more demanding tasks.

The Nokia 2 has an aluminum frame and a polycarbonate back, and runs stock Android like the rest of the company’s lineup. It ships with Nougat on board but will be upgraded to Oreo soon.

It features a basic 8MP camera, has 8GB of expandable storage, and comes with IP52 drip protection. The device was announced in October and made its way to the U.S. a month later. If you’re looking for a smartphone on a tight budget, the Nokia 2 just might be up your alley.

Specs

5.0-inch IPS LCD display with 1,280 x 720 resolution, 294 ppi

Snapdragon 212 chipset

1GB of RAM

8GB of on-board storage, microSD expansion up to 128GB

8MP rear camera, 5MP front camera

Non-removable 4,100 mAh battery

Android 7.1.1 Nougat

143.5 x 71.3 x 9.3 mm, 161 g

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Honorable mention:

Nokia 3

Although this smartphone is more expensive than the Nokia 2, it still won’t break the bank. It launched with a price tag of 120 pounds in the UK back in July. Unfortunately, the handset wasn’t officially released in the US — although the international version is listed on Amazon. It offers a 5-inch HD display, packs a 2,630mAh battery, and has the MediaTek MT6737 chipset and 2GB of RAM under the hood. Other specs and features include an 8MP camera, 16GB of expandable storage, and Android 7.0 Nougat.

This is the least powerful smartphone in Nokia’s lineup, but it’s also the cheapest. It’s an Android Go device with a 4.5-inch display, the MediaTek MT6737M chipset, and 1GB of RAM. The company is pitching it as a “transition” device for those moving from feature phones to their first smartphones, with Google’s leaner OS offering a simple, data-efficient version of Android capable of running on low-cost hardware. The Nokia 1 is already available (or will be soon) in Europe, Middle East, Africa, India, Asia Pacific, Australia, and Latin America.

There you have it — the best Nokia phones you can get your hands on. Which one would you get? Let us know in the comments.

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